Why Nathaniel Mendez-Laing is 'looking forward' to Sheffield Wednesday reunion this season
Nathaniel Mendez-Laing will return to Hillsborough with MK Dons this coming season.
Former Sheffield Wednesday winger Nathaniel Mendez-Laing is looking forward to returning to Hillsborough with MK Dons this coming season.
The two clubs will go head-to-head in League One in 2026/27 after they arrived in England’s third tier via different directions. Wednesday, of course, were relegated from the Championship last term, while the Dons won automatic promotion from League Two.
The Stadium MK outfit, who are managed by former Rotherham United and Derby County boss Paul Warne, brought their three-year stint in League Two to an end by finishing second, just one point behind champions Bromley.
Mendez-Laing, who made the move to the Buckinghamshire outfit last summer, reuniting with Warne after working with him at Derby, played an important role in the Dons’ success, scoring nine goals and registering four assists in just 25 league outings.
Expected to play a key part again this coming season, the versatile attacker has admitted he is relishing the opportunity to play at Hillsborough again after spending time with Wednesday during the 2021/22 campaign, scoring two goals in 19 appearances.
As quoted by Milton Keynes Citizen, Mendez-Laing said: “I’m looking forward to going back to Sheffield Wednesday. Having spent time there, it’s a great place to play football.
“Leicester away as well, Huddersfield. There are so many good clubs at this level and I cannot wait to get into the games.”
Due to how the fixture list has fallen, Mendez-Laing will have a long wait until he returns to Hillsborough, with Warne's side not scheduled to travel to South Yorkshire until the end of April. The occasion will mark Wednesday's penultimate home game of the season.
Bizarrely, Wednesday are not scheduled to visit Stadium MK until Good Friday (March 26), meaning there is a long wait until their first meeting of the campaign. Wednesday have won each of the last four meetings between the two sides.